Honed by the most prestigious European conductors like Aldo Ceccato, Franco Ferrara, Alceo Galliera, Mario Gusella and Julius Kalmar, Bergamo-born Maestro Ruggero Barbieri has distinguished himself with a tremendous wealth of symphonic and operatic experience. He studied at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatorio in Milano, Scuola Superiore di Musica in Pescara, Civico Istituto Musicale G. Donizetti in Bergamo and Konservatorium für Musik in Vienna.

His international career started in 1989 when he was chosen as one of the six Conducting Fellows from among a hundred international applicants to study under the legendary Leonard Bernstein at the Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome. After having served as assistant conductor of Maestro Aldo Ceccato for Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España in Madrid from 1991 to 1996, Barbieri was appointed as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. He was the first foreign conductor who has held the post for two consecutive terms (1996-2004), bringing the national orchestra to greater heights and leading it into much acclaimed Asian and European tours.

Armed with his distinct invigorating passion, profundity and uncompromising sensitivity to details, Barbieri reaped intensive orchestral engagements in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Canada. Among others, he has conducted the following orchestras: Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Klagenfurt Symphony Orchestra, Paris Sinfonietta, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio Television Orchestra of Madrid, Haydn Symphony Orchestra in Bozen, Symphony Orchestra of Lugano, Pomeriggi Musicali Symphony Orchestra of Milan, National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina, Orchestra of the State of Mexico and Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

In recognition of his diffusion of Spanish music and culture all over the world, Barbieri was awarded the “Cruz de Isabel la Catolica” by His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain, the highest honour given to artists. He is currently the Principal Guest Conductor of “Bergamo Musica Festival Gaetano Donizetti” Orchestra.